He served in the United States Congress as a Delegate from the Territory of New Mexico and a Senator from West Virginia.

[1] Stephen Benton Elkins was born on September 26, 1841, near New Lexington, Ohio and moved with his family to Westport, Missouri (now part of Kansas City) in the mid-1840s.

Before he joined the Union Army he was to encounter Quantrill's Raiders twice and was spared from being killed because of his father and brother.

All the way along I had been afraid that those fellows who had captured me would shoot me in the back, for I had on the watch which I am carrying now in the office of the secretary of war.

Foster thought the Confederates were the guerrilla hands who raised the black flag, and never gave any quarter.

Along with his brother in law, Thomas B. Catron, Elkins participated in what would become the largest land speculation conspiracy in U.S. history.

He became a citizen of West Virginia in 1878 and began developing oil, coal, and timber industries with his father-in-law.

Stephen and Hallie built their home, Halliehurst, in Randolph County, and the town of Elkins was established nearby.

Amongst his goals were that the rank of lieutenant general be revived, and also that noncommissioned officers receive higher pay to improve the quality of the service.

After his service as Secretary, Elkins was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1895, serving the state of West Virginia, and was re-elected twice.